Maybe this is a good place to ask some questions??

I am trying to change out my damaged drivers front door with a good used one from an A4. I have a couple of issues. First, the trim at the top of the door is a different colored stainless. The S4 trim comes off easily but the A4 seems to be designed differently so that the metal can not be separated from the rubber window seal. I took the whole damaged S4 door apart with hope that it would make anything I needed to change apparent. That is one complicated door. After removing the window frame and everything else I was able to drill out the rivets that hold the rubber window seal and trip strip as one piece. I do not want to take the replacement door apart to do this on the A4 door. I'm not sure I could get it back together. I could probably get the trim off of the A door if I destroy it but then I'm not sure the S trip would fit on the rubber. The A trim wraps around the bottom at the door edge where the S trip only slips on from the top and can easily be changed. People must have to change out trim occasionally so there must be an easier way to do it than taking everything apart.

The second question is how do I switch out the key cylinders. Once again I took the S door apart to get the handle/cylinder out which was also very difficult but other than doing that I can't figure out how to change the cylinder.

Any help? Other better areas to ask this question? Other forums that are better equipped?

Thanks for any help.

 

Okay as far as taking the door apart it's not that hard. It looks complicated but it's not once you get into it. Of course the lock cylinder has to be changed. would you feel secure if it didn't? The whole handle assembly has to be changed out to change the lock cylinder. There's a lock delete part that gets rid of that lock which is how i know. I can appreciate changing out the door as I am just looking into it myself. I got about 3 dents from Wal-Mart and it would just be cheaper changing. Anyway, I'm not sure about the S4 to A4 change, but shouldn't be that much different.

 

Jiggleo, Thanks for the reply. I have already taken the damaged door apart and that is why I don't want to take the other door apart. I have worked on many vehicles in my life and have never seen something so complex that should be relatively simple. The electrical wiring is the main issue but the way things are fastened together is the other. It was not meant to ever be serviced. And if damage had not happened it probably would not have needed it as it is put together to stay. I guess I could just put it on the car and not worry about the lock. I have only used the lock in the door a couple of times in all these years and if I had to, I guess I could open the truck and crawl through the back seats. They don't latch very securely and will probably push open. Maybe I'll check that out before making a decision. Maybe I'll live with the wrong trim too. I'll look at it again fresh today.

 

For the sake of information in case anyone else ever does this.

I got almost everything taken care of satisfactorily.

I ended up taking the new used door apart and drilled out the rivets for the top trim and riveted on the S trim. That is the only way to deal with it.

The wiring harness was slightly different in the A door. The plug to the junction box behind the kick panel in the drivers footwell for the mirror functions was the only thing I had to change out but to get to the wires you have to remove the inner window frame of the door. I did this and installed the wires from the S door. The mirror now works with all functions. I decided not to change out the door latch for the moment. I found that the trunk lock will unlock all doors if the remote key fails and I have probably only used the key in my door 5 times since 2000. The S does have heated door locks with a few separate wires for that function so I ran those wires in the door in case I ever want to tackle that job in the future. There is also a transformer that mounts in the top of the door for this function and I didn't want to deal with that either so I left it out.

The lower trim piece is different too and was not damaged so I changed that out as well.

The door had rust streaks running down it from something dripping on it at the yard so I buffed those out and waxed.

The hinges were bent and pulled away from the body when the door was damaged so I had to remove the lower one and carefully hammer the metal back into shape and use the undamaged hinge from the new door and after some shimming I got everything to line up and close properly. I was able to bend the top hinge back into place.

This was quite a project and even though I didn't keep track I'm sure I have over 12 hours into it, but my cost was $375 for a door that was the right color, which considering what it could have cost to have someone else do it, god forbid a dealer, it was pretty cheap and now I'm on the road again just in time for the cold weather.

It's supposed to snow tonight so I switched out to my Blizzaks.